Detroit gets a young big for the rebuild effort but has to take back Barbosa's one year too long of a contract. Barbosa should be of use in the rotation though unlike Jones who is just expiring filler. Barnes would be a decent back up for the season but not likely to remain after that.

Milwaukee gets AI to ease the pain of losing Redd for the season. Jefferson doesn't seem to fit that well with what they are doing so they jetison that experiment and get a large expiring in return. AI should be back to his old self as the focal point on this team. Don't see a huge jump in the standings but at least the games should be more fun in the mean time.

Phoenix may be willing to deal Amare/Barbosa now and Kerr/Porter seem to like the vet players. Sheed would help spread the floor for Nash and won't get in Shaq's way down low. He plays much better D than Amare so that should help as well. Jefferson would be a nice addition on the wings and should fit nicely with J-Rich. Bynum is a cheap replacement for Barbosa and the pick could also be decent.

Nash/J-Rich/Jefferson/Sheed/Shaq with Hill as 6th man could be a force in the playoffs.

Brand and Miller would be good for this year, but you'd really have to make sure you liked Brand, since he'd be here through 2013 at a fairly high salary.

We pick up 31ppg, 13.5rebs, and a bunch of assists.

Miller's $10M contract would expire at YE.

I think that since we wouldn't win a ship with those 2 guys this year, then the trade doesn't work out well for us over a 5 year period. Brand could be overvalued and we wouldn't have max FA signing dough to get a crazy man in here.

I don't get the assumption that Joe would only trade AI for expiring contracts. I know there are attractive upcoming free agents, but what's wrong with getting a guy you want now, who is already locked into a contract for a couple of years?

Iverson ($22M) to NJ for Carter ($15.2/$16.3/$17.3) and Swift ($6.2M).

We get a scoring machine with some size who would also solve our backup 3 problem (by moving Tay to the bench). Stro would just be an expiring contract to make the trade work. Might work out for us because we'd get one of those unstoppable superstars with range... and he's having a great year so far. We wouldn't have to compete with others to big on him, just get his contract.

NJ would be replace one SG with another, would sell some jerseys, and would have more flexibility to go after Bron.

Stuck/Rip/Vince/Amir/Sheed OR Stuck/Vince/Tay/Amir/ Sheed to go bigger
Bynum/AA/Tay/Max/Dyess as a defensive bench unit.

Kwame & Swift on ice. Could trade one of them opportunistically later if need be. Would also have Acker, and Sharpe.

2 traditional lineups. The danger is if Stuckey gets hurt, in which case Tay would have play some PG. At that point, nothing would matter anyway though.

Iverson ($22M) to NJ for Carter ($15.2/$16.3/$17.3) and Swift ($6.2M).

We get a scoring machine with some size who would also solve our backup 3 problem (by moving Tay to the bench). Stro would just be an expiring contract to make the trade work. Might work out for us because we'd get one of those unstoppable superstars with range... and he's having a great year so far. We wouldn't have to compete with others to big on him, just get his contract.

NJ would be replace one SG with another, would sell some jerseys, and would have more flexibility to go after Bron.

Stuck/Rip/Vince/Amir/Sheed OR Stuck/Vince/Tay/Amir/ Sheed to go bigger
Bynum/AA/Tay/Max/Dyess as a defensive bench unit.

Kwame & Swift on ice. Could trade one of them opportunistically later if need be. Would also have Acker, and Sharpe.

2 traditional lineups. The danger is if Stuckey gets hurt, in which case Tay would have play some PG. At that point, nothing would matter anyway though.